Tent fire at Grand Parade leaves volunteers calling the situation emergency

An early morning fire has shaken the homeless encampment at Grand Parade in downtown Halifax.

An early morning fire has shaken the homeless encampment at Grand Parade in downtown Halifax.

Clouds of thick smoke billowed from one of the tents at city hall.

Richard Young was sleeping when he woke up to screams. When he came out he said he saw smoke fill part of the property and then noticed the fire.

“It all went up in probably about 13, 14 seconds. All gone,” said Young.

The volunteers on the ground, Stephan Wilsack and Matthew Grant, grabbed fire extinguishers and blankets to smother the flames.

“Three individuals nearly lost their lives,” said Wilsack.

Wilsack believes the individual living in the tent’s heater caused the fire.